Tag Archives: pine nuts

I have gone to a hair salon owned by a lovely Greek family for many years. Beyond being a relaxing experience to just be there, we often discuss food and new restaurants- it’s great. After hearing about this Greek Thanksgiving stuffing for almost as many years, I finally got the treasured family recipe. 🙂

This dish is reminiscent of one of my son’s favorite rice and meat dishes, Thai One-Pot, with a Greek twist. It incorporates cinnamon, raisins, roasted chestnuts, as well as pine nuts.

My friends eat it as part of their Thanksgiving feast, but it is also hearty enough to be served as a main course. We ate it for dinner with roasted broccoli on the side. I modified the original recipe by using fresh mushrooms and ground turkey instead of ground beef. It was very unique and delicious!

Yield: Serves 6 to 8 as a main dish

4 T unsalted butter

1 cup chopped celery (about 3 stalks)

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 cup flat parsley, chopped, plus more for garnish

24 oz white button mushrooms, sliced

1 cup white Basmati rice

2 1/2 cups chicken or turkey stock

13 oz organic roasted, peeled chestnuts, crumbled lightly

1 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

1/4 cup raisins

1 cinnamon stick

1 T olive oil

1 1/4 pound ground turkey or ground beef

1 turkey liver or 2 chicken livers, finely chopped

1-2 T ground cinnamon

coarse salt

1/2 T freshly ground black pepper

Melt the butter in a 14-inch skillet.

Add the chopped celery and onion; sauté over medium heat for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, add the parsley, and continue to sauté for another minute.

Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook until lightly browned, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Meanwhile, prepare the rice: In a medium pot, bring chicken stock, rice, and 1/2 tsp salt to a simmer. Add the chestnuts, crushed tomatoes, pine nuts, raisins, and cinnamon stick; mix. Cover and cook over low heat for 15-20 minutes. (I used an enameled cast iron pot so that I could use it to finish the dish.)

While the rice is cooking, add the olive oil to the hot 14-inch skillet, followed by the ground meat and chopped liver.

Season the meat with 1 T salt, 1/2 T black pepper, and 1 T ground cinnamon. Cook until no longer pink, scraping the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

When the rice is tender, remove the cinnamon stick.

Add the onion, celery, and mushroom mixture to the cooked meat, followed by the cooked rice mixture. Stir to incorporate.

I knew that I had to make this as a special appetizer after seeing it on Chef Mimi’s blog. It sounded so interesting- a baba ghanoush without eggplant or tahini, but with zucchini, yogurt, and Roquefort cheese. The charred zucchini resembled bananas when they were peeled; cooking it this way gave it smokiness.

It may not be absolutely beautiful, but it was absolutely delicious. Ottolenghi describes its appearance as “rather like a volcanic eruption.” 🙂 It was a little bit time-consuming to prepare, but was worth every bit of time and effort.

This recipe was adapted from Plenty More: Vibrant Vegetable Cooking from London’s Ottolenghi by Yotam Ottolenghi. I used French whole milk plain yogurt instead of goat’s milk yogurt and used regular chile flakes instead of Urfa chile flakes. I also crumbled the cheese rather than grating it. I definitely plan to make it again- we loved it. Incredible.

Yield: Serves 6 as a starter or as part of a mezze selection

5 large zucchini (about 2.75 pounds/1.2 kg)

1/3 cup (80 g) plain whole milk yogurt

2 T (15 g) coarsely crumbled Roquefort cheese

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 T (15 g) unsalted butter

2 1/2 T (20 g) pine nuts

pinch of chile flakes

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 clove garlic, crushed in a garlic press

1/2 tsp za’atar, to finish

coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

warm naan, for serving

Preheat the broiler.

Place the zucchini on a baking sheet lined with foil and broil for about 45 minutes, turning once or twice during the cooking, until the skin crisps and browns nicely.

Remove from the oven and, once cool enough to handle, peel off the zucchini skin, discard it, and set the flesh aside in a colander to drain. The zucchini can be served warm or at room temperature.

Put the yogurt in a small saucepan with the Roquefort and egg. Heat very gently for about 3 minutes, stirring often. You want the yogurt to heat through but not quite reach the simmering point. Set aside and keep warm.

Melt the butter in a small sauté pan with the pine nuts over low heat and cook, stirring often, for 3 to 4 minutes, until the nuts turn golden brown. Stir in the chile flakes and lemon juice and set aside.

Put the zucchini in a bowl and add the garlic, a scant 1/2 tsp coarse salt, and a good grind of black pepper. Gently mash everything together with a fork and then spread the mixture out on a large serving platter.

Spoon the warm yogurt sauce on top, followed by a drizzle of the warm chile butter and the pine nuts.

I love a fresh herb sauce. This Middle Eastern variation on a classic salsa verde brightened up the grilled fish. We ate it over brown Basmati rice with sautéed collard greens and green kale on the side.

This dish was adapted from Bon Appetit, contributed by Alon Shaya. I used homemade za’atar. I also used swordfish in lieu of red snapper, grilling instead of broiling, and modified the proportions in the salsa verde. Healthy and tasty. 🙂

Yield: Serves 2

1 tablespoon pine nuts

2 6-ounce swordfish steaks, patted dry

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

6 tablespoons olive oil, divided

⅓ cup loosely packed cilantro, finely chopped

⅓ cup loosely packed parsley, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely grated or chopped

3/4 teaspoons za’atar

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Toast pine nuts in a 400 degree oven (I used a toaster oven.) or a dry small skillet over medium-low heat, tossing often, until golden and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Let cool. Coarsely chop, if desired.

Heat a gas grill or broiler. Season fish with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with coriander.

Drizzle 1 T oil onto one side of the fish, flip and repeat on the opposite side. Season with salt and pepper.

Grill fish until cooked through, about 3-4 min per side for a 1″ thick steak. (Alternatively, place fish on a small rimmed baking sheet and broil until cooked through, about 8–10 minutes.)

Meanwhile, mix together cilantro, parsley, garlic, za’atar, red pepper flakes, and remaining 4 T olive oil in a mini food processor or small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

My husband and I are obsessed with burrata- especially with asparagus. Such a heavenly combination!

Naturally, as I am also such a pasta fan, this dish caught my eye right away. It was fresh and especially wonderful to make in backyard herb season. This recipe was adapted from a Food and Wine “staff favorite” recipe, contributed by Grace Parisi. I doubled the asparagus, substituted fresh pappardelle for fazzoletti, and omitted the chervil. Yum!

In a blender or food processor, combine the 3/4 cup of parsley with the 2 tablespoons each of chives, tarragon and chervil (if using). Pulse until chopped.

Add the lemon juice and 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the oil to the herbs and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Put the asparagus in a colander and ease it into the boiling water. Blanch the asparagus just until bright green, about 2 minutes. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Shake dry.

This is a fast full-flavored dish. Healthy too! I always forget about how much I enjoy creamy polenta. 🙂 We ate it for dinner but it would also be wonderful for brunch.

This recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Todd Porter and Diane Cu. I increased the salt, doubled the tomatoes, and made homemade pesto. The pesto recipe is from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian by Mark Bittman. Tasty!

Yield: Serves 3 (in my house!) or 4

For the Pesto: (Makes about 1 cup)

2 loosely packed cups fresh basil leaves, rinsed and dried

coarse salt

1 clove garlic

2 T pine nuts or walnuts

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, or more to taste

1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan or pecorino Romano

For the Dish:

4 cups water

1 cup polenta

1/2 tsp coarse salt

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup chopped tomatoes (I used Campari)

3/4 to 1 cup pesto

To Make the Pesto:

Combine the basil with a pinch of salt, the garlic, the nuts, and about half of the oil in a food processor or blender.

Process, stopping to scrape down the sides of the container if necessary and adding the rest of the oil gradually.

Add more oil if you prefer a thinner mixture. (Sometimes I add a little bit of stock instead to achieve the same result.)

Stir in the cheese.

To Finish the Dish:

In a large pot, bring the water to a boil. (I use a cast iron pot.) While whisking, gradually pour the polenta into the water.

Reduce the heat to simmer or low and continue whisking for an additional minute.

Continue cooking for about 20 to 30 minutes, stirring every 5-10 minutes, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot.

Remove the polenta from the heat when it is tender and creamy and has reached your desired thickness.

Stir the salt and butter into the polenta until the butter is melted.

Scoop polenta out onto plates. Top each with about 1/4 cup pesto. Divide tomatoes among plates. Serve. (We individually mixed together all of the ingredients before digging in!)

It’s the last official weekend of the summer. 😦 As much as I love autumn, I know that the change of season also means we are getting closer to cold weather… which I absolutely dread. Ugh.

This meal bridges the summer and fall seasons. It was as torn as I am to leave summer behind and embrace the cooler weather! The salmon is smothered with summery fresh pesto accompanied by autumn-esque roasted sunshine squash and potatoes, as well as fabulous sautéed CSA chard on the side. The tomato salad was literally the icing on the cake (salmon)! 🙂 It was great to make with late summer tomatoes, backyard basil and fresh CSA vegetables.

This recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Ian Knauer. I increased the proportion of sauce to salmon and used grape instead of cherry tomatoes. I am always a little bit nervous when cooking fish… I cooked the salmon for the 15 minutes as specified in the recipe, but next time would start checking the fish at 10 or 12 minutes. Such a healthy and fresh meal. 🙂

Yield: Serves 2

2 (8 ounce) wild salmon filets

1 garlic clove

1/4 cup pine nuts

1 cup basil leaves, plus 2 to 4 more leaves

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, separated

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered

1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350°F. ( I used the convection setting.)

In a food processor with the motor running, drop the garlic clove into the feed tube and run the motor until it is finely chopped.

Add the 1 cup of basil, pine nuts, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper, then pulse until finely chopped.

With the motor running, pour in 3 tablespoons of the oil until combined.

Place the salmon on an oiled baking sheet, then divide the basil mixture between the salmon, then top each filet with 2 small or one large basil leaf.

Bake the salmon until just cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes.

While the salmon bakes, in a bowl, stir together the tomatoes, vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper, and the remaining 1 tablespoon oil.

Every summer we drive out to Montauk to spend the day with my friend and her family when they camp by the ocean for a week at Hither Hills State Park. She and her husband are such wonderful hosts. The amount of food they prepare is amazing!! This year I brought this flavorful pasta salad and oatmeal raisin cookies to contribute. Little did I know, her husband isn’t a pesto fan. 😦 I couldn’t believe it- so unfortunate. My friend was happy that I brought a pesto dish because she doesn’t serve it and she loves it- thank goodness! (her husband did enjoy the cookies…)

This recipe was adapted from Barefoot Contessa Parties!: Ideas and Recipes for Easy Parties that are Really Fun by Ina Garten. I reduced the amount of olive oil, mayonnaise, and Parmesan to lighten it a little. The spinach and lemon juice help to maintain the pesto’s green color. Tasty!

Make the Pesto: Place the walnuts, pignolis, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 15 seconds. Add the basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute. Use right away or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer with a thin film of olive oil on top. (I found that I didn’t have to add additional oil; this recipe had enough olive oil that rose to the surface to coat it with a thin film.)

Cook the pasta separately in a large pot of boiling salted water for 10 to 12 minutes until each pasta is al dente. Drain and cool to room temperature.

Bring the frozen peas and spinach to room temperature. I place the defrosted spinach in a colander and squeeze out the excess water using a potato masher.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade, puree the pesto, spinach, and lemon juice. Add the mayonnaise and puree. Add the pesto mixture to the cooled pasta and then add the Parmesan, peas, pignolis, salt, and pepper. Mix well, season to taste, and serve at room temperature.